Jayman's The Clayton opens more doors for Calgary's homeless

Diane Krecsy, Calgary Homeless Foundation president and CEO, left, Bernadette Majdell, HomeSpace Society CEO, Kathy Christiansen, Alpha House executive director, Jay Westman, Jayman BUILT Chairman and CEO, and Alan Norris, RESOLVE Campaign Chair, pose for a photo in the grand opening of the Clayton, a safe plays for Calgary homeless, on Thursday, August 8, 2019. The Clayton provides safe and affordable housing for about 30 single adults in the neighbourhood of Bowness. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Calgary

Even though the Resolve campaign wrapped up more than a year ago, its effect is still being felt in the City of Calgary.

The campaign was a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort, where nine agencies and the home-building and land-development industries came together to raise capital to create affordable rental housing with support services for up to 3,000 homeless and vulnerable Calgarians.

Jayman Built is one of the 11 Calgary home builders who are visionary donors and have partnered with the campaign to build affordable housing in Calgary.

On Aug. 8, Jayman, in partnership with the Resolve Campaign, Calgary Homeless Foundation and HomeSpace Society, celebrated the grand opening of The Clayton, which will be home to 30 formerly homeless Calgarians.

“Jayman Built has been building homes in Calgary communities for 39 years. We appreciate the importance of having a place to call home and are fiercely committed to ending homelessness in our city,” said Jay Westman, chairman and CEO at Jayman. “The Resolve Campaign inspired collaboration between 11 builders and together, we contributed a combined gift of $15.4 million.

“By its sunset, the campaign raised over $74 million, enough to provide 1,850 Calgarians with the key to a home and the support they need to thrive. The entire Jayman team has shown their commitment to this cause through the construction of The Clayton, providing 30 new units for Calgarians who have experienced homelessness.”

The new building is named in honour of Alvin Clayton (A.C.) Westman, Jayman’s founder and father of Jay.

Located in Bowness, The Clayton is the Resolve Campaign’s seventh new, permanent supportive housing building to open for the Calgary Homeless Foundation and HomeSpace, addressing the critical shortage of permanent affordable housing with on-site supports in Calgary.

In addition to the Resolve Campaign, The Clayton was made possible through a joint commitment of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and the Government of Alberta to provide affordable housing with on-site support services.

“This collaboration between government, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, HomeSpace Society, Jayman Built, the Resolve Campaign and Calgary Alpha House Society, is a demonstration that homelessness can end when we intentionally choose to work together,” said Diana Krecsy, president and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation. “This building will provide a stable place of belonging from which the 30 future tenants will build a better future.”

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